Today, laser technology in manufacturing touches all of our lives on a daily basis; lasers cut air bag material and weld air bag detonators for our in-car safety; lasers weld the batteries in many of our mobile devices; lasers drill aero-engine components for planes; lasers cut the glass for our smart phones and tablets screens; lasers weld the drivetrains in our cars and trucks; lasers cut medical stents that increase and enhance our lives, just to name a few.
Many precision grinding machines on the market already offer their users near-perfect tolerances, leaving one to wonder: What’s next in grinding? But tool builders still have plenty of room to add valuable new improvements, machine shop owners say.
Solid-state laser technology has matured, leading to development of new, cost-effective welding applications, such as hybrid welding
Many industries have been making parts with micron dimensions for some time, but in the last few years, the market for miniaturization has expanded. The demand is not only for small parts, but also for small complex features on larger parts. This is due chiefly to the switch to modules in which the functions of several parts or subsystems are not handled by a single complex unit.
As laser manufacturing systems for sheet and tube grow more sophisticated—powerful, automated and scalable—navigating the wealth of choices might feel daunting.
Prima Power Laserdyne has relocated and expanded its manufacturing and operations center. During February, Prima Power Laserdyne moved from its old location in Champlin, Minn., to the new facility in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
MC Machinery Systems has named Craig Barbeck to the MC Machinery team as a Regional Sales Representative for the Northern Ohio Territory. Barbeck will support the sales team with a focus on laser and press brake products.
Saint-Gobain Abrasives announced the introduction of its new Norton FAB (Fixed Abrasive Buff) buffing wheels that virtually eliminate the need to use buffing compounds.
Using lasers to cut metal, especially sheet metal or tubes, continues to show its value. The market is becoming dominated by the newer solid-state fiber laser over its CO2 gas rival. Fiber’s advantages in ease of operation, packaging and efficiency are clear.
When it comes to the production of high-precision parts for industries ranging from aerospace to medical, grinding remains the best, most cost-effective approach to obtaining fine surface finishes and tight tolerances.
